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Tribune article by Jake Rundle

Hastings Public Library staff

Jake is the Collections Librarian at the Hastings Public Library. Call Jake at (402) 461-2346 or e-mail Jake.

Reading list good enough to share—May 4, 2012

Greetings readers! May the 4th be with you. And as we settle into that time of year where the days get longer, school gets less stressful and shorts become more likely, it’s a great time to share with you some of the new and cool things happening at the library. There are quite a few, including a reading list of mine that I have been meaning to get to for 3 months.
First, a new development for us is that we NOW TAKE CREDIT CARDS for fines, fees, and printing. We take Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Discover. AND we don’t add on any fees for using the card. It’s a win-win for everyone.
Second, we are always getting new things. Something we started a few months ago was a dedicated collection of ebooks through Overdrive. Currently, we have about 75 titles, from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo to 50 Shades of Grey to a Game of Thrones. I am always looking for new titles to add to the ebook collection, so if you want to recommend something, just email me. Or stop in and ask for me. Or poke your head in my office and tell me. Or tell someone at the desk to get a hold of me. Seriously. It’s my job to get what you all want.
Third and finally, I have some books I want to tell you about. The thing about this list is that all of these books look like they will be really interesting. That’s why they are on my reading list. The problem is that I don’t have nearly as much time to read as I would like, so many of these books go home with me, sit beside the bed for 3 weeks, and then come back to the library. I’ve resolved to share my list with all of you, so that perhaps you can all enjoy the books I want to read and tell me about them, so I don’t have to read them.
How to Archer by Sterling Archer is a “how to” spy book from the FX series Archer. Full of wit, humor, and tactical turtlenecks, this book is sure to please all.
The House of Wisdom: How Arabic science saved ancient knowledge and gave us the renaissance is one of those books that looks like it would be spectacularly interesting if I had the time to read it. The book follows the discovered made in the Arab world and follows their evolutions into Western thought. It also examines why the Islamic world fell into its own dark age after such a dazzling enlightenment.
Drift by Rachel Maddow is a look at American foreign policy and the state of national security from the Vietnam War to today. It examines the rise of our military industrial complex and tracks the changing attitudes of war in our county. It just looks cool.
My cooking class: Preserving Basics is the best picture book anyone could ask for. It’s a cook book all about preserving your favorite fruits and veggies, but the pictures are step by step instructions. A picture of the ingredients, a picture of what it looks like when the recipe calls for you to “skim scum off the surface of the mixture” and pictures of the finished products. I feel like it could be an idiot proof cookbook. Find out for me?
Harry Potter: Stage to Screen is a HUGE tome of pictures, photos, drawings and interviews with everyone involved in the Harry Potter films. For those of us who love to know all the silly little details, this is definitely the book for you.
Mud, Sweat, and Tears by Bear Grylls is the autobiography of the Man vs. Wild man himself. From his time in the British Special forces to his climb of Everest and beyond. This book tells the whole story.
Chicks with Guns by Lindsay McCrum is a coffee table book to shoot all coffee table books out of the water. The entire work is full page photos of women from around the United States posing with their guns. Old and young, black and white, pistols, shot guns and antique rifles are all showcased along with interviews of the subjects about the guns they own and the lives they lead. It’s beautiful and awesome.
I know I skipped out on fiction titles, but that just means you’ll have to come in for some personal recommendations from our fantastic staff. I will mention A Study in Sherlock which is a book of stories inspired by the Master detective himself, The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths which is a graphic novel prequel to the super awesome/super creepy Jim Henson studios movie from the early 90’s, and I’ve got your Number by Sophie Kinsella about a girl, a lost phone, a beautiful stranger and a missing engagement ring.

Read a good review lately?

Seen an author on TV that caught your interest? If you are a Hastings Public Library patron, e-mail the library with the author, title, and how you heard about it, if possible. Be sure to include your name and phone number and we will notify you when the book has arrived.